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71-Year-Old William Gibson Explores 'Existing Level of Weirdness' For New Dystopian SciFi Novel (thedailybeast.com) 81

Posted by EditorDavid from the recognizing-patterns dept.
71-year-old science fiction author William Gibson coined the word "cyberspace" in his 1984 novel Neuromancer. 36 years later he's back with an even more dystopian future in his new novel Agency.

But in a surprisingly candid interview in the Daily Beast, Gibson says he prefers watching emerging new technologies first because "To use it is to be changed by it; you're not the same person."
"I'm not someone who works from assumptions about where technology might be going. My method of writing is exploratory about that."

That's certainly the case with Agency, Gibson's latest, a densely structured, complexly plotted novel that takes place in two separate time frames, which he refers to as "stubs," and has as one of its central characters an AI named Eunice, who is one part uploaded human consciousness and another part specialized military machine intelligence. In one stub it's 2017, a woman is in the White House, and Brexit never happened. But the threat of nuclear war nonetheless hovers over a conflict in the Middle East. In the other stub, it's 22nd century London after "the jackpot," a grim timeline of disasters that has reduced the Earth's population by 80 percent and left Britain to be ruled by "the klept," which Gibson describes as a "hereditary authoritarian government, [with its] roots in organized crime."

Given these scenarios, it's no surprise to discover that the 71-year-old Gibson's latest work was heavily influenced by the 2016 election and the ascendancy of Donald Trump to the presidency. "The book I had been imagining had been a kind of a romp," says the U.S.-born Gibson down the phone line from his long-time home in Vancouver, B.C. "But then the election happened, and I thought, 'Uh-oh, my whole sense of the present is 24 hours out of date, and that's enough to make the book I've been working on kind of meaningless.' It took me a long time [to re-think and re-write the book], and I thought the weirdness factor of reality, finding some balance -- what can I do with the existing level of weirdness, and that level kept going up. I wanted to write a book that current events wouldn't have left by the time it got out, and I think Agency works...."

"It's an interesting time for science fiction now," says Gibson, "because there are people writing contemporary fiction who are effectively writing science fiction, because the world they live in has become science fiction. Writing a contemporary novel today that doesn't involve concepts that wouldn't have been seen in science fiction 20 years ago is impossible. Unless it's an Amish novel."
The Washington Post calls Gibson's new novel "engaging, thought-provoking and delightful," while the senior editor at Medium's tech site One Zero says it's the first time Gibson "has taken direct aim at Silicon Valley, at the industry and culture that has reorganized the world -- with some of his ideas propelling it."

"The result is a blend of speculation and satire that any self-respecting denizen of the digital world should spend some time with."

And they're also publishing an exclusive excerpt from the novel.
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71-Year-Old William Gibson Explores 'Existing Level of Weirdness' For New Dystopian SciFi Novel More

71-Year-Old William Gibson Explores 'Existing Level of Weirdness' For New Dystopian SciFi Novel

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  • Too close to the present. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by BAReFO0t ( 6240524 ) on Sunday January 19, 2020 @06:58PM (#59635924)

    I never liked these "20 minutes into the future" 'sci-fi' stories. They are too attached to the useless bickering, politics and fads of the day.

    I liked Neuromancer because it could have been 50 or 500 years in the future. In any case, it was an escape from the now and the crap news on TV. Not wallowing in it.
    The only relation to the now was a very general and wide long-term critique.
    It was a story of somebody who had seen Earth from the moon, and realized how petty all this is.

    If this is a story about that petty short term (<100 years) stuff, in that mindset that I can already see on TV, then I don't like it.
    That terms like "Brexit" are even mentioned in its context, is a strong indicator for that.

    • Yeah, "strongly influenced by the latest election" ... that is exactly what I don't want, and what I want to escape from when I read a sci-fi novel!

      Now all that's missing from the "former legend ruins his legacy" package is a huge powder-white naked man, a rolling spaceship, and a crew too stupid to run sideways.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by e3m4n ( 947977 )

        to quote Dr Evil in Austin Powers, there is nothing sadder than an aging hipster.

      • The latest election gave us the least bad out of two possible outcomes. Ms. Clinton wanted war with Russia, and, even worse, never met an abortion, or any other demented sacrament of the demonic left-wing religion, that she didn't enthusiastically support. She was likely complicit in FAR more sexual harassment, and worse, than Trump has been proven to have committed (although in fairness, hers, and Slick's, mostly haven't been proven either, perhaps because so many of the witnesses mysteriously disappear

    • How exactly is Neuromancer not attached to the fads of the day? It has a very strong 1980s vibe with all these "Japan takes over the world" references.

    • Judging from the summary, it isn't near future. One plot thread is contemporary and the other is 22nd century.

      That said, if you're looking for light escapism then Gibson... I guess his books could be read that way. I don't think he intends them that way, and reading them that way is not getting the most out of them, but you can do that if you want.
    • Yeah. Was going to write the same thing. Never write a fiction novel who's events depends on tomorrow's news. This novel will suffer for that.

  • and not American Dirt.

  • Nice to see him taking on concepts of Gnosticism and Quantum Mechanics.

    Nice to meet you. Consider this a stub. I'll reset to this point in your timeline later.

  • Interesting SciFi dual pivot device to use one current unimaginable realism to spin up the inconceivable future dystopia as some magical realism trope.

    I can't wait to read William Gibson's handling of the unimaginable and inconceivable within the same framework. This ought be a brain twister!

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward
      One stub (thread) is total dystopia, and in the other only 20% of the population remain.
  • Read the sample. Lots of interesting concepts, descriptions are alive... like Gibson years earlier. I'm going to buy it.

  • In a recent interview (Score:4, Interesting)

    by bobstreo ( 1320787 ) on Sunday January 19, 2020 @07:37PM (#59636028)

    This latest twist in reality – Trump’s election – meant Gibson had to go to back to the drawing board with the new book, just as he had with Pattern Recognition. For a long time he didn’t think the book that was to become Agency could be salvaged. He went through “at least two hard publishing deadlines” as he tried to find a way of bringing it back to life.

    https://www.theguardian.com/bo... [theguardian.com]

  • Why is the fact that he's 71 supposed to be so important that it's the first thing mentioned in the title and the summary?

  • Terrible (Score:1, Troll)

    by 110010001000 ( 697113 )

    That guy was never good at writing. His stories were more just a mish mash of junk thrown together. Now it sounds like he has taken a political turn, so no wonder the Washington Post likes his new crap.

  • Went to penguinrandomhouse.com but could not connect, have not seen one of these in ages :)

    Sadly I doubt that is the reason

  • ... with roots in organized crime.

    That pretty much describes every historical monarchy ever until Britain evolved this idea of a constitutionally limited monarchy. Each of these monarchies promoted the idea that their rule was some kind of *right*, usually God-granted, but in fact it's all about being descended from people who imposed their will on others by force.

    • Politicians educating their offspring to become politicians as well = "hereditary"
      Parties bullying laws into being enacted with little regards of people's needs = "Authoritarian"
      As for "roots in organized crime" - well... does corruption count?

  • More art ruined by Trump Derangement Syndrome (Score:5, Insightful)

    by SuperKendall ( 25149 ) on Sunday January 19, 2020 @11:55PM (#59636462)

    It's amazing how many artists went bat-shit crazy over basically a non-event - a slightly different kind of politician going into the White House, that mostly carried on doing the same things the previous politician did.

    An entire season of American Horror Story was turned into absolutely hot garbage over this, which they almost never recovered from - then I find Gibson has fallen victim to the same malaise. with what I am sure is probably unreadable political trek. Too bad, I really loved his other stuff. I hope some of these artists can escape the mental prisons they have chosen to house their intellect in and cross the border into making art again instead of boring political slashfic.

    • You're right to call it malaise. Trump's been a real hit to national morale. Even the people who like him are miserable.

      • Trump supporters having joyful time of it TBH (Score:5, Informative)

        by SuperKendall ( 25149 ) on Monday January 20, 2020 @03:15AM (#59636692)

        Trump's been a real hit to national morale.

        Well I can certainly tell you live in a bubble of extreme liberal ignorance!

        See, unlike you, I read media from all kinds of political viewpoints. Frankly, Trump supporters are having a blast. Search Google for Trump supporters not tired of winning yet [google.com] for examples.

        In fact I saw before the election that Trump would probably win, precisely because Trump supporters are having enjoyable lives, while it seems that Trump opponents (both Republicans and Democrats and other) are in a permanent state of extreme hate a glower. How would want to join that hot mess? As DX-O would say, No-No Thank You.

        It's gotten much, much worse since Trump was elected for sure - for people that hate Trump. For everyone else, they get to notice the economy is doing well, get to notice that for once we aren't expanding our program of endless war, for once there actually is real energy in the last. How much of a physic toll must it take to live a life of despair in the face of so much economic progress for people from all walks of life?

        It's why right now you are seeing Democrats moving to trump in increasing numbers, along with a variety of minorities that are simply sick of the message of doom that is all those fighting against Trump have to offer. They have no plan to offer paths to wellness, just hatred that you can share in. Gee thanks!

        You too could live a joyful life... very sad that you choose to remain stuck in an outdated ideology and not expand your mind to free it of ancient bigotries.

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by Holi ( 250190 )
          " we aren't expanding our program of endless war"

          You mean we aren't hiring our troops out to Saudia Arabia like common mercenaries?

          https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/saudi-arabia-pays-us-500m-offset-costs-us-troops-region-pentagon

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by trawg ( 308495 )

          You too could live a joyful life... very sad that you choose to remain stuck in an outdated ideology and not expand your mind to free it of ancient bigotries.

          Imagine taking joy in the misery of others

        • If I were a liberal wanting to come across as Trump supporter, that is the post I would make. It's perfectly creepy, good job!

          I'd rather not be a Trump follower. They support whatever Trump does and have no standards. I'd rather be Trump. I would use your blind faith to turn you all into populist liberals and get you to like things like single-payer and free school lunches. Even Rush, long-time complainer of public "screwls" would be on board. He couldn't afford not to be. Look at who Trump's finance advise

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by Zynder ( 2773551 )
            Oh no, that's SuperKendell. Furthest thing from a Liberal you can imagine. He'd be hauling slaves from Africa to his Georgia plantation if it were still legal. You obviously don't read his posts often. You shouldn't. The eye bleach does nothing!

      • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

        by DNS-and-BIND ( 461968 )
        Hit to national morale? Huh? Even if you don't like the president, there are other things in life. Sports, church, personal development. On the other hand if you're a TDS sufferer, you're going to spend every minute of every day obsessing about the president. Even the worst Obama detractors weren't like you. Turn off the internet and go outside. There's a whole world out there.

        • You're right. I'm definitely not like Obama's detractors. I never questioned Trump's suit, origin, wife's gender, or choice of mustard. I had my own critiques for Obama, they just weren't... you know... idiotic.

      • Yeah, bullshit.

    • "ruined" already? (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      You haven't read this unreleased novel, yet you already declare it "ruined", because you assume the author's political leanings differ from your own?

      You loved his other stuff, but he uses the word "Trump" and you start frothing at the mouth. Seems to me you're just ruining your own life.

      • yet you already declare it "ruined", because you assume the author's political leanings differ from your own?

        I don't think they differ from my own. I think that he has let Trump cloud his mind of Art, and instead it is obviously filled with virulent political rhetoric.

        I don't care which side such rhetoric comes from, it ruins art.

        If you can't see how obvious that is, well it's pretty clear you share the same disease. Perhaps you'll enjoy his joyless work...

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by Holi ( 250190 )
          And you know this how? about a novel you have not read.
          The biggest sufferers of TDS appear to be his supporters.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by DogDude ( 805747 )
      basically a non-event- a slightly different kind of politician

      Either you're a Russian troll, or you're a fucking moron. I'm leaning toward the latter.
    • with what I am sure is probably unreadable political trek.

      *drek FTFY

  • Sorry but ... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by slincolne ( 1111555 ) on Monday January 20, 2020 @02:21AM (#59636620)
    ... I'm having a hard time accepting that Neuromancer was written in 1984 , and an even harder time that he is 71 ! Wow - amazed !
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion

  • I tried reading Neuromancer, I found it boring, the characters very two dimensional. Got maybe 100 pages in and gave up. I can maybe see why it was popular for a time, but it really hasn't aged well, IMO. Has put me off to reading his other works, although that's not terribly fair, it was his first novel. I love short stories though, if he has a collection, maybe I'll check that out.

  • The result is a blend of speculation and satire that any self-respecting denizen of the digital world should spend some time with.

    Bet I've got a few stories that are a "blend of speculation and satire" that he wouldn't read. Because he's all self-respecting and such.

    Shorter answer: Fuck off on telling me what I "should" read.

  • Gibson and Patrick Stewart (Score:3)

    by RoccamOccam ( 953524 ) on Monday January 20, 2020 @11:11AM (#59637706)
    The globalists are just reeling, aren't they? From The Daily Wire:

    Speaking with Variety, the acclaimed actor along with the show’s producers said that the much-anticipated “Star Trek: Picard” series on CBS All Access – a quasi-reboot of “The Next Generation” – will be a response to the Trumpian world of Brexit and nationalist populism.

    “In a way, the world of ‘Next Generation’ had been too perfect and too protected,” said Stewart. “It was the Enterprise. It was a safe world of respect and communication and care and, sometimes, fun.”

    However, for “Picard,” Steward wanted a show that reflected today’s world by centering the drama around how the Federation – the union of planets – takes “an isolationist turn.”

    “[The show] was me responding to the world of Brexit and Trump and feeling, ‘Why hasn’t the Federation changed? Why hasn’t Starfleet changed?’ Maybe they’re not as reliable and trustworthy as we all thought,” Stewart said.

    • The globalists are just reeling, aren't they?

      That may be, but:

      ‘Why hasn’t the Federation changed? Why hasn’t Starfleet changed?’ Maybe they’re not as reliable and trustworthy as we all thought,” Stewart said.

      That actually sounds like interesting science fiction. Most of TNG was barely sci fi at all, to the point the writers would just phone it in and do an entire episode on the holodeck. The trailers didn't actually convey those questions. Mostly they were just explosions, cameos, and intense looks. The very definition of sci fi is speculative fiction: given these conditions, what if? "Given a galaxy-spanning organization of FTL-capable civilizations, what if people are still people?" TNG

  • "hereditary authoritarian government, [with its] roots in organized crime."

    Gibson is Canadian so this is clearly referring to and inspired by our selfie-taking Prince Justin...

  • How much dystopia do we have to imagine before we actually do something to try and avoid such a dark future. The only way to create a better future is to fully imagine it first and solarpunk is the way to do that. Unfortunately for these old guard writers, it is much easier to write depressing cyberpunk than uplifting solarpunk.

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